Machiavelli, Volume I eBook

to content them. By these examples then which
are drawn out of ancient and modern affaires, searching
into the cause hereof, we shall find it much more
easie to gain those men for friends, who formerly were
contented with the State, and therefore were his enemies:
than those, who because they were not contented therewith,
became his fiends, and favor’d him in getting
the mastery of it. It hath been the custome of
Princes, whereby to hold their States more securely,
to build Citadels, which might be bridles and curbs
to those that should purpose any thing against them,
and so to have a secure retreat from the first violences.
I commend this course, because it hath been used of
old; notwithstanding Nicholas Vitelli in our dayes
hath been known to demolish two Citadels in the town
of Castello, the better to keep the State; Guidubaldo
Duke of Urbin being to return into his State, out
of which he was driven by Caesar Borgia, raz’d
all the Fortresses of that Countrey, and thought he
should hardlyer lose that State again without them.
The Bentivolii returning into Bolonia, used the like
courses. Citadels then are profitable, or not,
according to the times; and if they advantage thee
in one part, they do thee harme in another; and this
part may be argued thus. That Prince who stands
more in fear of his own people than of strangers,
ought to build Fortresses: but he that is more
afraid of strangers than of his people, should let
them alone. Against the house of Sforza, the
Castle of Milan, which Francis Sforza built, hath and
will make more war, than any other disorder in that
State: and therefore the best Citadel that may
be, is not to incurre the peoples hatred; for however
thou holdest a Fortress, and the people hate thee,
thou canst hardly scape them; for people, when once
they have taken armes, never want the help of strangers
at their need to take ther parts. In our dayes
we never saw that they ever profited any Prince, unless
it were the Countess of Furli, when Count Hieronymo
of Furli her husband was slain; for by means thereof
she escap’d the peoples rage, and attended aid
from Milan, and so recover’d her State:
and then such were the times that the stranger could
not assist the people: but afterwards they serv’d
her to little purpose, when Caesar Borgia assaild
her, and that the people which was her enemy, sided
with the stranger. Therefore both then, and at
first, it would have been more for her safety, not
to have been odious to the people, than to have held
the Fortresses. These things being well weigh’d
then, I will commend those that shall build up Fortresses,
and him also that shall not; and I will blame him,
howsoever he be, that relying upon those, shall make
small account of being hated by his people.